Session 3: Storytelling and Communications
Key Links:
- Slide Deck: Storytelling and Communications
- Handout: Storytelling and Communications
- Storytelling & Communications Template
Session 3: Storytelling and Communications
This session was dedicated to explaining the importance of storytelling in the open publishing process. Storytelling allows you to situate your role in the work, describe the story of your project, both within your team, but also more broadly as you market your OER. Review the quote from late Ojibway author Richard Wagamese in our slides — and you’ll see how central narrative and story is to the work of OER creation. We discussed the transformative power of education and how storytelling can play a role in making inclusive content with equitable processes.
We emphasized acknowledging and validating different types of knowledge and expertise — and how you all play an integral part in this work by reflecting on the content of your OER (approach, vision for the discipline, knowledge, research, text, media, contributors, students, pedagogy). Jo-ann Archibald’s Indigenous Framework for Storytelling offers a guide to help you articulate the work you will be doing on your OER projects, both internally to inform decision-making on your OER but also externally to the broader open education community.
Thinking deeply about the storywork you want to do as content creators and team support members, may sound like a lot of effort, but we know from experience with past cohorts how well those efforts play out in the longer term. Having a clear understanding of the story of your resource - both its purpose and content - is critical throughout the publishing process to ensure deliberately and carefully looking at ways to really make sure the end resource is as useful as it can be.
Prior to our next session, please complete the Session 3 Homework activities in your handout. These include a mix of individual and team-based activities:
- Share your personal story by writing a bio (we’ll review this next week)
- Work to identify marketing avenues to share your project’s story
Next week, our focus will be on establishing team roles and effective collaboration to support your project’s success.
